Conveyor system accessories

ABSTRACT

Conveyor system accessories are disclosed, which provide an inexpensive way to stage, stockpile and/or sort work pieces and provides easy entry to and exit from a main conveyor. In particular, a trolley or trolleys that carry work pieces ride on the conveyor rail above the chain or intermesh with the chain on the inside of the track. These accessories are used with single track continuous conveyor systems, which greatly enhances the productivity of the single track system by permitting work pieces to be taken off-line without taking the work piece off a load pendant.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates, generally, to novel conveyor system accessoriesfor loading and unloading a work piece from a conveyor system. Thepresent invention provides an inexpensive way to stage, stockpile and/orsort work pieces and provides easy entry to and exit from a mainconveyor. Alternatively, work pieces may reenter the main conveyor, ifdesired. Specifically, a trolley or trolleys that carry work pieces rideon the conveyor rail above the chain or intermesh with the chain on theinside of the track. These accessories are used with single trackcontinuous conveyor systems, which greatly enhances the productivity ofthe single track system by permitting work pieces to be taken off-linewithout taking the work piece off a load pendant.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional overhead trolley carriers are known in the art. One suchtype is a continuous flow conveyor. The continuous flow conveyor isrestricted by a moving chain, which severely limits the utility of thistype of conveyor. Specifically, when it is necessary to remove a workpiece from the conveyor it is necessary to take it off a load pendant.Generally, the removal of the work piece from the load pendant requiresdisengagement of the conveyor drive train, thus stopping motion of theconveyor. Alternatively, if complete stoppage of the conveyor is to beavoided, the conveyor must be slowed down considerably to facilitate theremoval of the work piece from the load pendant. Both methods ofunloading, however, greatly impact the productivity of the conveyorsystem.

More recently, power and free conveyor systems have been developed toovercome the problems associated with the staging, stockpiling, and/orsorting of work pieces in continuous flow conveyors. Power and freesystems have a power track and a carrier track arranged in verticallyspaced relation. The power track is an endless chain supported bytrolleys mounted on the power track, and longitudinally spaced pusherscarried by the chain. A pusher is engageable with a driving dog on thefront end of a load carrier, and disengaging means associated with thedriving dog is operable by actuating means on the rear end of apreceding load carrier so that successive load carriers canautomatically accumulate behind a stopped load carrier. Power and freeconveyors overcome many of the problems associated with continuous flowconveyors. These power and free conveyors are, however, generally morethan twice as expensive as continuous flow conveyors.

In view of the prior art at the time the present invention was made, itwas not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the pertinent art how theneeded inexpensive yet efficient staging, stockpiling, and/or sortingconveyor system could be provided.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a single track continuousconveyor system accessory is provided. In one embodiment of the presentinvention the conveyor system accessory is a wheel assembly for ridingon top of an inverted continuous conveyor track. The wheel assembly hasa pair of wheels, which are spaced apart in a parallel side by siderelationship and are connected to one another by a transverse axle. Adrive means for a conveyor chain is positioned in the invertedcontinuous conveyor track to engage the wheel assembly and move it in adesired direction. A carrying means for transporting a work piece isrotatably attached to the wheel assembly. The present invention alsoincludes a loading means for positioning the wheel assembly on the topsurface of the inverted continuous conveyor track and an unloading meansfor removing the wheel assembly from the top surface of the invertedcontinuous conveyor track.

A second wheel assembly is provided for the transport of heavy loads andis used in conjunction with the wheel assembly. In particular, thesecond wheel assembly has a second pair of wheels, which are spacedapart in a parallel side by side relationship and are connected to oneanother by a second transverse axle. The second wheel assembly isconnected to the wheel assembly by a pair of longitudinal members withone end of each pair of longitudinal members rotatably connected to thetransverse axle and an opposite end of each pair of longitudinal membersrotatably connected to the second transverse axle. Loading means andunloading means are also provided for positioning and removing thecombination of the wheel assembly and second wheel assembly on and fromthe inverted continuous conveyor track, respectively.

The conveyor system accessory may also include an alignment means formaintaining the wheel assembly and the combination of the wheel assemblyand the second wheel assembly on the top surface of the invertedcontinuous conveyor track. The alignment means is a plate which isfixedly attached to each of the wheels of the pair of wheels of thewheel assembly and the second wheel assembly. The plates are situated onan external surface of each of the wheels, are perpendicular to thetransverse axle, and extend beyond each wheel and overlap a portion ofboth sides of the inverted continuous conveyor track to form a boundarymeans for maintaining the wheel assembly in combination with the secondwheel assembly on the top surface of the inverted continuous conveyortrack.

The present system also provides a drive means, which is a verticallyoriented elongate planar shaped member that is fixed at one end to theconveyor chain. The opposite end has notches on both sides for engagingthe transverse axle of the wheel assembly in combination with the secondtransverse axle of the second wheel assembly.

In an alternative embodiment the wheel assembly meshes with the invertedcontinuous conveyor track. In this embodiment, the wheel assemblydefines an inverted V-shaped assembly having a transverse member acrossan apex of the V-shaped assembly. The transverse member has rollers oneither side of the apex for rolling on a ramp. The inverted V-shapedassembly is attached to a housing, which has a pair of wheels at itsfront end and a pair of wheels at its rear end. The pairs of wheels arespaced apart in a parallel side by side relationship and are connectedto the housing. A drive means is positioned in the inverted continuoustrack and engages the wheel assembly and moves the wheel assembly in adesired direction. A carrying means for transporting a work piece isrotatably attached to the wheel assembly. Loading and unloading meansfor facilitating the intermeshing and disengagement, respectively, ofthe wheel assembly are also provided.

The housing of the present invention is an inverted U-shaped assemblywith a cut out or slot portion for engagement of the drive means. Theinverted U-shaped member allows the respective pairs of wheels of thewheel assembly to straddle a drive portion of the drive means andeffectively intermesh with the drive means.

In yet a further embodiment, a wheel assembly for riding on a topsurface of an inverted continuous conveyor track has a pair of V-shapedrollers. The V-shaped rollers are spaced apart and aligned to engage theupper most corners of the inverted continuous conveyor track and arefixedly attached to a V-shaped angle member by a transverse axle. Adrive means is also provided. The drive means engages the V-shaped anglemember and moves the wheel assembly in a desired direction. The wheelassembly has a carrying means for transporting a work piece, which isrotatably attached to the wheel assembly. Loading and unloading meansare provided.

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction,combination of elements and arrangement of parts that will beexemplified in the following description, taken together with theaccompanying drawings, and its scope, will be pointed out in theappended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature of the invention, referenceshould be made to the following detailed description; taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a dual axle conveyor system accessory of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 is an end view or cross section of FIGS. 1, 3, 4, and 5;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a single axle conveyor system accessory of thepresent invention;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the single axle conveyor system accessoryof FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is the side view of the dual axle conveyor system accessory ofFIG. 1, without an angle iron guide;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the dual axle conveyor system accessory ofFIG. 1 entering a main conveyor from staging;

FIG. 7 is a further top plan view of the conveyor system accessory ofFIG. 1 with the conveyor chain removed for clarity;

FIG. 8 is a side view of an internal part carrier conveyor systemaccessory of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is isometric view of the wheel assembly of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a cross-section of the conveyor system accessory of FIG. 8,taken alone lines 10—10 thereof with the entrance ramp removed forclarity;

FIG. 11 is the side view of the conveyor system accessory of FIG. 1showing an unloading or exiting means;

FIG. 12 is a side view of another conveyor system accessory of thepresent invention;

FIG. 12a is a cross section of a conveyor system accessory of FIG. 12;

FIG. 12b is a further side view of FIG. 12 showing a push bar moving apart carrier on the rail with the rear wheels removed for clarity;

FIG. 12c is a isometric view of FIG. 12;

FIG. 13 is a cross section of a conveyor system accessory of the presentinvention with supports and top angle iron guides; and

FIG. 14 is a cross section of yet another conveyor system accessory ofthe present invention with supports and no top angle iron guide.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The conveyor system accessories of the present invention can be usedwith any commercially available single track continuous conveyor, suchas those available from Rapid Industries, Inc. Louisville, Ky.,Richards-Wilcox, Inc., Aurora, Ill., and Webb Inc., Farmington Hills,Mich. For purposes of the present invention the conveyor track isinstalled in an inverted position. Referring now to the drawings, inwhich like numerals refer to like elements thereof, FIG. 1, shows anembodiment of the invention denoted as a whole by reference numeral 100.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 5, a wheel assembly 8 in combination with asecond wheel assembly 28 rides on a top surface 16 of an invertedcontinuous conveyor track 2. Plan views of this embodiment are shown inFIGS. 6 and 7. Each of the first wheel assembly 8 and the second wheelassembly 28 has a pair of wheels 10 and a second pair of wheels 30,respectively. The pair of wheels 10 and the second pair of wheels 30 arespaced apart in a parallel side by side relationship and are connectedto one another by a transverse axle 12 and a second transverse axle 32,respectively.

The second wheel assembly 28 is connected to the wheel assembly 8 by apair of longitudinal members 34. One end of each of the pairs oflongitudinal members 34 is rotatably connected to the transverse axle12, while an opposite end of each of the pairs of longitudinal members34 is rotatably connected to the second transverse axle 32. Wheelassembly 8 in combination with a second wheel assembly 28 isparticularly useful in heavy load applications or applications in whichthe work piece may be awkwardly sized and requires the additionalstability provided by wheel assembly 8 in combination with a secondwheel assembly 28.

Drive means 18, also called a dog or a pusher, of conveyor chain 20 ispositioned in the inverted conveyor track 2 to engage the wheel assembly8 in combination with the second wheel assembly 28 and to move the wheelassemblies 8 and 28 in a desired direction. As shown in FIG. 12, thedrive means 18 is a vertically oriented elongate planar shaped member60. Member 60 is fixed at one end to the conveyor chain 20 and at itsopposite end member 60 has notches 38. The notches 38 are on both sidesof member 60 for engaging the transverse axle 12 of wheel assembly 8 incombination with the second transverse axle 32 of second wheel assembly28, which permits travel in a forward or backward direction. Drive means18 functions in a similar manner when only wheel assembly 8 is used, asshown in FIG. 3. Chain 20 is any standard commercially availableconveyor chain having both vertical 62 and lateral 64 load carryingwheels. A top plan view of the conveyor system accessory of FIG. 3 isshown in FIG. 4.

Carrying means 14 is rotatably attached to wheel assembly 8 as shown inFIG. 3. Alternatively, carrying means 14 is rotatably connected tolongitudinal member 34, which connects wheel assembly 8 to the secondwheel assembly 28, as shown in FIG. 1. The carrying means or loadpendant 14 must either swivel or rotate so that it remains verticallyoriented as the travel pitch of the wheel assembly changes from 0° pitchto 90° pitch. As is known in the art, depending on the use of theinverted continuous conveyor track of the present invention, thecarrying means or load pendant 14 may be situated so that the work pieceis positioned either internally or externally to the conveyor track.

Several types of carrying means or load pendants 14 are commerciallyavailable from the manufacturers mentioned above. The type of loadpendant used will depend on the applications in which the conveyorsystem is used. For example, depending on the application, a standardclevis load pendant may be appropriate. Other load pendants which may beuseful in the present invention include a rigid “V” pendant, a doublesuspension load hook, a suspension indexing load hook and a doublesuspension rotating star pendant, to name a few.

Loading means 4 is shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 5, and 8. Loading means 4positions the wheel assembly 8 either alone or in combination with thesecond wheel assembly 28 on the top surface or rail 16 of invertedcontinuous conveyor track 2. Angle iron or guide 26 may also be presentto facilitate the loading of wheel assemblies 8 and 28. Rising ordipping ramps, which utilize the flow of gravity are used for loadingmeans 4 and unloading means 6. Alternatively, manual power ramps maytransport the wheel assemblies on to and off of the inverted continuousconveyor track 2. As shown in FIG. 11, unloading means 6 is a downwardslopping exit ramp. Unloading means 6 has a slot or cut out, not shown,to facilitate the downward motion and disengagement of drive means 18.Preferably, the loading means 4 and the unloading means or exit means 6are placed in a run of straight track.

Turning now to FIGS. 13 and 14 the alignment means 22 of the presentinvention will be described in more detail. As shown in FIG. 13,alignment means 22 secures the wheel assembly 8 or the combination ofwheel assembly 8 and second wheel assembly 28 on the top surface or rail16 of the inverted continuous conveyor track 2. In an embodiment inwhich wheel assembly 8 is used to carry a work piece alignment means 22is a plate 36 that is fixedly attached to each of the wheels of the pairof wheels 10 of wheel assembly 8. Plate 36 is located on an externalsurface of each of the wheels and is perpendicular to transverse axle12. Plate 36 extends beyond each wheel and overlaps a portion of bothsides of the inverted continuous conveyor track 2. Accordingly, plate 36forms a boundary, which maintains wheel assembly 8 on the top surface 16of the inverted conveyor track 2.

In an alternative embodiment in which the wheel assembly 8 is used incombination with second wheel assembly 28, plate 36 is fixedly attachedto each of the wheels of the pairs of wheels 10 and 30 of thecombination of wheel assembly 8 and second wheel assembly 28. Again,plate 36 is situated on an external surface of each of the wheels. Plate36 is perpendicular to the respective transverse axles 12 and 32 andextends beyond each wheel. Further, plate 36 overlaps a portion of bothsides of the inverted continuous conveyor track 2 and forms a boundaryfor retaining the combination of wheel assembly 8 and second wheelassembly 28 securely on the top surface 16 of the inverted conveyortrack 2.

FIG. 13 also shows guide 24, which may be used in conjunction withalignment means 22. Guide 24 may be an angle iron, channel iron ortubing retainer to ensure that the wheel assemblies or trolleys stay inposition between two dogs 60, as shown in FIG. 12.

A further embodiment of the present invention, denoted as a whole byreference numeral 200, is shown in FIGS. 8-10. As shown in FIG. 9, wheelassembly 40 is designed to intermesh with conveyor chain 20. Inparticular, wheel assembly 40 defines an inverted V-shaped assembly 42.The inverted V-shaped assembly 42 has a transverse member 44 across anapex of the V-shaped assembly 42. Transverse member 44 has rollers 46 oneither side of the apex for rolling on a loading means or ramp 4 andunloading means or ramp 6. The inverted V-shaped assembly 42 is attachedto a housing 48. Housing 48 has a pair of wheels 70 at its front end anda pair of wheels 72 at its rear end. Each of the pair of wheels 70 and72 are spaced apart in a parallel side by side relationship andconnected to the housing 48. Housing 48 has a cut out or slot 50 toaccommodate drive means 18. Drive means 18 is positioned on the conveyorchain to engage slot 50 of the housing 48 of wheel assembly 40. Carryingmeans 14 extends from transverse member 44.

As shown in FIG. 8, rail 16 has been cut away to facilitate theintermeshing of wheel assembly 40 with conveyor chain 20. A standardconveyor chain 20 has a normal center line of eight (8) inches. It iswithin the skill of the art to make adjustments in the center line ofthe conveyor chain 20. It has been found that the distance or centerline between the links of conveyor chain 20 can be increased to ten (10)inch centers to accommodate meshing wheel assembly 40. An end view ofthis embodiment is shown FIG. 10.

Housing 48 is an inverted U-shaped assembly having a cut out portion 50for engagement of the drive means 18. Housing 48 permits the respectivepairs of wheels 70 and 72 to straddle a drive portion of the drive means18 and intermesh with conveyor chain 20.

A further embodiment of the present invention, denoted as a whole asreference numeral 300, is shown in FIGS. 12 and 12a-12 c. In thisembodiment, wheel assembly 52 rides on the top surface 16 of theinverted continuous conveyor track 2. Wheel assembly 52 has a pair ofV-shaped rollers 54, which are spaced apart and aligned to engage theupper most corners 16 of conveyor track 2. The pair of V-shaped rollers54 are fixedly attached to a V-shaped angle member 56 by a transverseaxle 58. The drive means 18 engages the V-shaped angle member 56 to movewheel assembly 52 is a desired direction. Carrying means 14 is rotatablyattached to wheel assembly 52. Loading means 4 and unloading means 6 arealso used in conjunction with wheel assembly 52. Further, drive means 18engages the V-shaped angle member 56 of wheel assembly 52.

Thus, while there has been described what are presently believed to bethe preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the artwill understand that other and further modifications can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention. It is intended that thepresent invention includes all such modifications as come within thetrue scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A single track continuous conveyor systemaccessory, comprising: a wheel assembly for riding on a top surface ofan inverted continuous conveyor track, said wheel assembly having a pairof wheels, said pair of wheels spaced apart in a parallel side by siderelationship and connected to one another by a transverse axle; drivemeans for a conveyor chain positioned in said inverted continuousconveyor track to engage said wheel assembly and move said wheelassembly in a desired direction, said drive means comprising avertically oriented elongate planar shaped member fixed at one end tosaid conveyor chain and at its opposite end having notches on both sidesof said planar shaped member, said notches for engaging said transverseaxle of said wheel assembly; and carrying means for transporting a workpiece thereon rotatably attached to said wheel assembly.
 2. The singletrack continuous conveyor system accessory according to claim 1, furthercomprising: loading means for positioning said wheel assembly on saidtop surface of said inverted continuous conveyor track; and unloadingmeans for removing said wheel assembly from said top surface of saidinverted continuous conveyor track.
 3. The single track continuousconveyor system accessory according to claim 1, further comprising: asecond wheel assembly having a second pair of wheels, said second pairof wheels spaced apart in a parallel side by side relationship andconnected to one another by a second transverse axle, said second wheelassembly connected to said wheel assembly by a pair of longitudinalmembers with one end of each of said pair of longitudinal membersrotatably connected to said transverse axle and an Opposite end of eachof said pair of longitudinal members rotatably connected to said secondtransverse axle.
 4. The single track continuous conveyor systemaccessory according to claim 3, further comprising: loading means forpositioning a combination of said wheel assembly and said second wheelassembly on said top surface of said inverted continuous conveyor track;and unloading means for removing said combination of said wheel assemblyand said second wheel assembly from said top surface of said invertedcontinuous conveyor track.
 5. The single track continuous conveyorsystem accessory according to claim 1, further comprising: alignmentmeans for maintaining said wheel assembly on said top surface of saidinverted continuous conveyor track.
 6. The single track continuousconveyor system accessory accoring to claim 3, further comprising:alignment means for maintaining a combination of said wheel assembly andsaid second wheel assembly on said top surface of said invertedcontinuous conveyor track.
 7. The single track continuous conveyorsystem accessory according to claim 5, wherein said alignment meanscomprises: a plate fixedly attached to each of said wheels of said pairof wheels of said wheel assembly, said plate situated on an externalsurface of each of said wheels, perpendicular to said transverse axle,extending beyond each wheel and overlapping a portion of both sides ofsaid inverted continuous conveyor track, said plate forming a boundarymeans for maintaining said wheel assembly on said top surface of saidinverted continuous conveyor track.
 8. The single track continuousconveyor system accessory according to claim 5, wherein said alignmentmeans comprises: a plate fixedly attached to each of said wheels of saidcombination of said wheel assembly and said second wheel assembly, saidplate situated on an external surface of each of said wheels,perpendicular to said respective transverse axle and said secondtransverse axle, extending beyond each wheel and overlapping a portionof both sides of said inverted continuous conveyor track, said plateforming a boundary means for maintaining said combination of said wheelassembly and said second wheel assembly on said top surface of saidinverted continuous conveyor track.
 9. The single track continuousconveyor system accessory according to claim 3, wherein said drive meanscomprises: a vertically oriented elongate planar shaped member fixed atone end of said conveyor chain and at its opposite end having notches onboth sides of said planar shaped member, said notches for engaging saidtransverse axle of said wheel assembly and said second transverse axleof said second wheel assembly.